Devices for controlling at least one register in a printing machine

ABSTRACT

At least one register and an ink density are controlled in a printing machine having at least one printing unit which includes a forme cylinder, a transfer cylinder, and a counter-pressure cylinder. An image sensor records an image from a print substrate, which is imprinted with ink, inside the printing unit, and sends data correlated to that image to an evaluation unit. The data for the last printed image is compared with prior data and in response, the evaluation unit generates a command that is directed to an actuator for controlling the supply of ink. The image sensor is oriented towards the print substrate and detects the entire width of the printed substrate, which width is transverse to a direction of substrate conveyance. The evaluation unit generates the actuating command to control the supply of ink based on data from the image sensor and taken over the entire width of the substrate. The evaluation unit also controls register, based on this data. The forme cylinder has a separate drive which can be controlled separately or that can be regulated by the counter-pressure cylinder assigned to it.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the U.S. national phase, under 35 USC 371, ofPCT/EP2004/050658, filed Apr. 30, 2004; published as WO 2004/096546 A1on Nov. 11, 2004, and claiming priority to DE 103 19 770.2, filed May 2,2003, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated herein byreference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to devices for regulating at least oneregister in a printing press.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A device for parallel image inspection and color regulation of a printedproduct, which is produced in a printing press with at least oneprinting group, is known from DE 43 21 177 A1. An image detectionarrangement is provided, which forwards image data from the printedproduct to a computer arrangement. The image detection arrangementconsists of one or of several measuring modules, each of which scans adefined image area of the printed product, and of at least oneassociated receiving device, which creates the image data and whichpreferably is spatially separated from the measuring modules. Themeasuring modules and the at least one receiving device are connectedwith each other by at least one image conductor. A register sensor isalso provided, and by the use of which, a register measurement can beperformed at the imprinted printed product.

A color registration system for a printing press is known from EP 0 598490 A1. A computer, with a camera or with a group of cameras, determinesan erroneous alignment of colors of a printed product by comparing anactual image with a stored reference image, and, by the use of aprinting control, aligns longitudinal, transverse and rotary positionsof cylinders of a printing press in relation to a web, which web ismoved through the printing press and is to be imprinted. The alignmentis done, in such a way that the cylinders create a multi-color imagewith colors which are correctly aligned with each other.

A device and a method for the register-maintaining matching of printingcylinders of a web-fed rotary printing press is known from EP 0 882 588A1. A first cylinder, which is imprinting one side of the web, is drivenby a first motor, and a second cylinder, which is also imprinting thesame side of the web, is driven by a second motor. The angular positionof the second cylinder is matched by a regulator to maintainregistration with the first cylinder. Register markings, which areimprinted on the web by the cylinders, are recorded by a sensor that isarranged downstream of the last cylinder in the production direction,which sensor may be, for example, a CCD camera. The register markingsare evaluated as guide values for the regulator by the use ofcharacteristic lines.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is directed to providing devices forregulating at least one register in a printing press.

In accordance with the present invention, the object is attained by theprovision of a printing press having at least one printing group with atleast one forme cylinder, one transfer cylinder and one counter-pressurecylinder. An image sensor records an image of an imprinted substratewhich has been printed in color. That image is evaluated in anevaluating unit. The evaluating unit generates an actuating signal to anactuating drive mechanism for regulating the register. The date providedto the evaluating unit is compared to data from a previously recordedimage. The evaluation unit separates the image into its colorcomponents. Each forme cylinder has its own separate, independentlycontrolled drive motor.

The advantages which can be attained by the present invention reside, inparticular, in that it is possible, by providing images of the entireimprinting substrate width, to simultaneously obtain several data, foruse in regulating the printing process, in a single evaluating unit.Also, separate types of sensors, with associated separate evaluatingunits, are not required for the various regulating paths in the printingpress. Instead, the image sensor alone provides the data which isrequired for several parameters which are relevant to the printingprocess in the printing press and which can be influenced by controlsystems, such as adjusting the supply of ink or dampening agent, or theregistration or registers, for example. This has advantageous effects onthe costs for setting up and for maintaining the regulating system, aswell as on the speed of reaction, such as, for example, in the case ofdetected deviations from the regulation. The above-mentioned parameters,which are relevant to the printing process, can simultaneously becontrolled by a single regulating device having an image sensor and onlyone evaluating unit. The parameters can be corrected, if needed, whichcorrection, because of the rapid intervention and regulatingpossibilities it provides, contributes to keeping the amount of waste inthe printing process low and to the assurance of a high productionquality over the entire printing process. By the use of the integraldetection and the evaluation of the data in a single evaluating unit orcomputing device, the logging of the data, and the documentation of thequality of the printed products going hand-in-hand with it, as well asstatistic analyses regarding the printing process, are made easier. Thisis because of the omission of interface problems which otherwise wouldhave to be solved. An image of every produced printed piece is recorded,a check of individual pieces takes place, not only a spot check.Accordingly, a 100% check is accomplished during the printing process,so that printed copies, that are lacking in quality, can be removed orat least can be marked. Separate register markings, test fields or printcontrol strips, which are applied to the imprinting substrate inaddition to the actual printed image, are not required for regulatingthe color density of a color applied to the imprinting substrate by theprinting press, or for checking that the register of the printed imageis maintained. This is advantageous, because for one, such registermarkings require additional space on the material to be imprinted. Thoseregister markings also only provide an indirect reference to the actualposition of the color components, with respect to each other, whichcolor components, in their totality, constitute the printed image.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is represented in thesole drawing FIGURE and will be described in greater detail in whatfollows.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In a greatly simplified representation, and by way of example, the soledrawing FIGURE shows four aligned printing groups 01, 02, 03, 04 of anoffset rotary printing press. Each of the printing groups includes aforme cylinder 06, 07, 08, 09, a transfer cylinder 11, 12, 13, 14, and acounter-pressure cylinder 16, 17, 18, 19. Every counter-pressurecylinder 16, 17, 18, 19 is preferably also embodied as a transfercylinder, for use in producing printed products, which are imprinted onboth sides, and thus works together with a forme cylinder, which is notspecifically represented, that is assigned to it. An imprintingsubstrate 21, such as, for example, a printing sheet 21 or a web 21 ofmaterial, and preferably a paper web 21, is passed between the transfercylinder 11, 12, 13, 14 and the counter-pressure cylinder 16, 17, 18, 19in the course of the printing process and is imprinted with at least oneprinted image. It is immaterial, for purposes of the present invention,whether the printing groups 01, 02, 03, 04 are arranged in such a waythat the imprinting substrate is conducted horizontally or verticallythrough the printing press.

An image sensor 22, such as, for example, a color camera 22, andpreferably a digital semiconductor camera 22, which is provided with atleast one CCD chip, is preferably arranged at the outlet of the lastprinting group 04 in a transport direction of the imprinting substrate21 through the printing press. An image-taking area of the image sensor22 is preferably directed immediately and directly onto the imprintingsubstrate 21. An image-taking area of the image sensor 22 takes in atleast the entire width of the imprinting substrate 21, wherein thisentire width of the imprinting substrate 21 extends transversely to thetransport direction of substrate 21 through the printing press. Thus,the image sensor 22 detects an image of an entire width of the imprintedpaper web 21, which image can be electronically evaluated, and whereinat least one printed image has been applied to the imprinting substrate21 along the width of the paper web 21. The image sensor 22 is embodied,for example, as an area camera 22.

The image sensor 22 transmits data, which is correlated with therecorded image to a suitable evaluating unit 23, which, in particular,may be a program-controlled electronic computer arrangement 23, whichcomputer 23 is arranged, for example, in a control console that is apart of the printing press. Parameters that are relevant to the printingprocess can now be checked by the use of an analysis which is performedin the evaluating unit 23 and, if required, these parameters can becorrected automatically, so to speak, by the use of programs which arerun in the evaluating unit 23. The evaluation and correction of all ofthe parameters which are relevant to the printing process, takes placepractically simultaneously by the use of the same evaluating unit 23. Inparticular, the image which is detected by the image sensor 22 in thecourse of the running production of the printing press, and which istransferred, in the form of a data flow, to the evaluating unit 23 isevaluated to determine whether the printed image, which was actuallyrecorded as the picture and which was evaluated, shows a change in, forexample, the shading value in comparison with a previously recorded andevaluated printed image, such as, in particular, an increase in theshading value. In other words, an actually recorded image is checkedduring the running process by comparison with a reference image. If theresult of the check is a detection of a change in the shading value,which change is, as a rule, a technically unavoidable increase in theshading value, the metering and/or the supply of ink to the printingpress is changed by the use of at least one first actuating commandemanating from the evaluating unit 23. The at least one first activatingcommand is conducted via a data line 24 and acts on at least one of theprinting groups 01, 02, 03, 04. The effect is that the shading changebecomes minimal by the control of the application of ink following theactually checked image. After the regulation of the color density, whichis performed following the change in metering and/or supply of ink, thecolor impression of an image following the actually recorded picture ofa printed image again corresponds better to a previously taken pictureof a printed image, such as, a reference image. The control and theregulation of the shading change are important for keeping the colorbalance, or the gray balance, and therefore also for keeping the colorimpression of the produced printed products, as constant as possible,typically within permissible tolerance limits, which constitutes animportant quality feature in connection with printed products.

The data flow, that is generated from the recording of the printed imageand that is transmitted to the evaluating unit 23, is employed in thesame way for checking the maintenance of the registration of the printedimage applied to the imprinting substrate 21, and in particular, is usedfor checking and, if required, for the correction of a colorregistration of a printed image which is produced by multi-colorprinting. At least one register, which preferably is adjustable by theuse of a motor, is provided in the printing press, and may be, forexample, a circumferential register or a lateral register. This registercan, if required, be a diagonal shifting device for shifting at leastone of the forme cylinders 06, 07, 08, 09, with respect to the transfercylinder 11, 12, 13, 14 that is assigned to it. As a function of thischeck, the register is regulated by the use of the at least oneactuating command that is emanating from the evaluating unit 23, whichtransmitted via a data line 26 and which acts on at least one of theprinting groups 01, 02, 03, 04 to the effect that the greatest possibleregistration accuracy results for a printed image following therecordation of the evaluated image. Setting or adjustment of theregisters is thus calculated by the evaluating unit 23 based on theimage data which was made available to it by the image sensor 22 of theevaluating unit 23. It is also possible, by the proper setting oradjustment of the lateral registration, to counteract a transversestretching which is caused by fan-out. This transverse stretchingoccurs, in particular, in printing presses having a so-calledeight-tower structure of their printing groups.

Preferably, the printing press is embodied without shafts. In such aprinting press, the forme cylinders 06, 07, 08, 09 preferably each haveindividual drive mechanisms, which are mechanically decoupled from thedrive mechanisms for the counter-pressure cylinders 16, 17, 18, 19.Accordingly, the phase relation or the angular relation of the formecylinders 06, 07, 08, 09, with respect to the counter-pressure cylinders16, 17, 18, 19, can be changed by an appropriate control or regulation,preferably of the drive mechanisms of the forme cylinders 06, 07, 08,09, whenever an evaluation of the image of the imprinting substrate 21,by use of the image sensor 22, makes this appear necessary. The entireimage content of the imprinting substrate 21, not just individual,locally limited image elements of that imprinting substrate 21, such asthe reference markers, for example, or the like, therefore affects thecontrol or the regulation of the printing group, and in particular thecontrol or the regulation of the drive mechanisms of the forme cylinders06, 07, 08, 09.

An actuating command, which is generated by the evaluating unit 23, onthe basis of the image contents of the picture taken of the printedimage, acts on a control device or on a regulating device of an electricmotor, which electric motor is preferably a position-controlled one, andwhich is utilized for the rotatory driving, during printing, of at leastone of the forme cylinders 06, 07, 08, 09, the transfer cylinder 11, 12,13, 14 assigned to it, or the counter-pressure cylinder 16, 17, 18, 19.In this way, the drive mechanism of the forme cylinder 06, 07, 08, 09,in particular, or of the transfer cylinder 11, 12, 13, 14 that isassigned to this forme cylinder 06, 07, 08, 09, in one of the printinggroups 01, 02, 03, 04 of the printing press can be controlled orregulated, preferably by electrical signals. Such control isaccomplished independently of a control of the drive mechanism of theforme cylinder 06, 07, 08, 09, or of the transfer cylinder 11, 12, 13,14 assigned to this forme cylinder 06, 07, 08, 09, in another one of theprinting groups 01, 02, 03, 04 of the printing press. In particular, byuse of such control, it is possible to set the mutual angular relationor the phase relation of the forme cylinders 06, 07, 08, 09 or of theirassociated transfer cylinders 11, 12, 13, 14, which are involved in theprinting of the printed products, or in forming the printed image, andwhich are arranged in different printing groups 01, 02, 03, 04 of theprinting press. By use of the associated control device or regulatingdevice, such as, for example, the evaluating unit 23, it is possible tomaintain a registration which is suitable for producing the printedproduct. The electric motor of the forme cylinder 06, 07, 08, 09 ispreferably arranged coaxially with respect to the axis of the formecylinder 06, 07, 08, 09. The rotor of the motor is preferably rigidlyconnected with a journal of the shaft of the forme cylinder 06, 07, 08,09 in the manner described in DE 43 22 744 A1. The counter-pressurecylinders 16, 17, 18, 19, which are arranged in the various printinggroups 01, 02, 03, 04 of the printing press can, in a manner such as isdescribed in EP 0 812 683 A1, for example, be mechanically connectedwith each other by a train of gear wheels, for example, and can have acommon drive mechanism, for example. However, the forme cylinder 06, 07,08, 09, or the associated transfer cylinder 11, 12, 13, 14, remaindisconnected with regard to their drive mechanisms, from theirassociated counter-pressure cylinder 16, 17, 18, 19. A coupling, suchas, for example, by the use of gear wheels in engagement with eachother, can exist between the forme cylinder 06, 07, 08, 09, and thetransfer cylinder 11, 12, 13, 14 which is assigned to it, so that theforme cylinder 06, 07, 08, 09, and the transfer cylinder 11, 12, 13, 14which is assigned to it, are driven by the same drive mechanism. Thecontrol device or the regulating device of the drive mechanisms of atleast the forme cylinders 06, 07, 08, 09 is integrated in the evaluatingunit 23, for example.

The control or the regulation of the phase relation or of the angularrelation of the forme cylinders 06, 07, 08, 09 with respect to thecounter-pressure cylinders 16, 17, 18, 19, takes place with respect to afixed reference setting, so that the forme cylinder 06, 07, 08, 09 canhave a leading relation or a trailing relation with respect to thecounter-pressure cylinder 16, 17, 18, 19 assigned to it. The relation ofthe rotation of the forme cylinder 06, 07, 08, 09 and thecounter-pressure cylinder 16, 17, 18, 19 which is assigned to it, is setas a function of the image content of the image recorded by the imagesensor 22, and is also updated by the control device or by theregulating device of their drive mechanisms. It is possible, in the sameway, to control or to regulate the phase relation or the angularrelation of forme cylinders 06, 07, 08, 09, which are arrangeddownstream of each other in the printing process, in respect to a fixedreference setting, which control or regulation is of particularimportance in connection with multi-color printing of printed matterthat is printed according to colors in printing groups 01, 02, 03, 04 ofthe printing press, which printing groups are arranged one behind theother. If it becomes apparent from an evaluation of the picture of theprinted image, which printed image preferably has several colors, that acorrection is required of one color used in one of the printing groups01, 02, 03, 04, the evaluation unit 23 issues its actuating command,which counteracts the detected interference effects, to the respectiveprinting group 01, 02, 03, 04.

If the actuating drives, which are to be regulated by the evaluatingunit 23, by the issuance of actuating commands, such as, for example,the actuating drives for regulating the supply of ink or of thedampening agent, as well as the drive mechanisms for regulating thecircumferential register or the lateral register, are connected to adata network which is connected with the evaluating unit 23, the datalines 24, 26, which are provided for transmitting the first and secondactuating commands, are preferably realized by the data network.

The checking of a shading value change occurring during the printingprocess, and the check for maintaining registration are performed in theevaluating unit 23 by the use of parallel data processing, and areadvantageously performed simultaneously. These two checks are preferablyperformed continuously during the running printing process, and inparticular advantageously at the end of the printing process and alsofor each individual, produced printed copy.

Initially, the check for maintaining registration relates to a congruentagreement of the position of the printed image or of the printed areabetween recto and perfecting printing, or between the top and theunderside when producing printing products imprinted on both sides. Thecheck also includes, for example, a check of the register, such as thecheck of the intended accuracy which individual partial colors have whenprinted on top of each other during multi-color printing. Theregistration accuracy, as well as the register accuracy, both play animportant role in multi-color printing.

An illuminating device 27, such as, for example, a flash lamp 27, isadvantageously assigned to the image sensor 22. Brief light flasheswhich are emanating from the flash lamp 27 make rapidly progressingmovement actions, such as the printing process represents, appear tostand still by the performance of a stroboscopic method, and in this waymake the imprinted substrate image observable to the human eye. With asheet-fed printing press in particular, the recording of the printedimage, that is performed by the image sensor, can also take place in, orat a delivery device 28 of the printing press, which is shown in thedrawing FIGURE by a dashed representation of the image sensor 22 and theassociated illuminating device 27 as a possible option for recording theprinted image downstream of the last printing group 04 of the respectiveprinted side, or at the end of the printing press. By an appropriateselection of the image sensor 22, and possibly also of the associatedilluminating device 27, it is possible to extend the recording of theimage into a virtually non-visible range, such as, for example, into theinfrared or the ultraviolet range, or displace it into them. As analternative to the preferred utilization of an area camera 22 with aflash lamp 27, the employment of a line camera with a permanentilluminating device is also possible.

Since every printed copy is preferably subjected to a check, a trend canbe recognized, in the continuing printing process, or during continuedprinting, toward a shading value change and well as in the maintenanceof the registration of sequentially produced printed copies. Dependingon the value of their shading and/or their associated registration,which is detected during the running printing process, the printedcopies can be classified into groups of different quality stages and canbe marked as waste copies when they are exceeding a permissibletolerance limit. Waste copies can be specifically removed by theevaluating unit 23 or, particularly in connection with a sheet-fedprinting press, can at least be placed on a separate deposit stack 29 inthe delivery device 28. To this end, at least one third actuatingcommand, such as, for example, a waste signal, is issued by theevaluating unit 23 which is evaluating the image and is conducted over adata line 31 to at least one actuating drive that is acting on at leastone arrangement for transporting the imprinted substrate 21 and forsorting the flow of copies.

To synchronize the frequency at which the recording of images on theimprinted substrate 21 takes place, with the transport speed of theimprinted substrate 21, such as, for example, the speed of the paper web21, an angle encoder 32 has been installed in at least one of theprinting groups 01, 02, 03, 04, and preferably in that printing group01, 02, 03, 04 in or at which the recording of the images, by theoperation of the image sensor 22 takes place. The operating angleencoder 32 has a fixed ratio with respect to the number of revolutionsof that one of the transfer cylinders 11, 12, 13, 14 at which the imagesensor 22 records the images. The angle encoder 32 provides its outputsignal to the evaluating unit 23 and/or also to the image sensor 22.Among other things, the output signal of the angle encoder 32 isemployed as the trigger for the flash lamp 27.

The image that is recorded by the image sensor 22 and which isconducted, in the form of a data flow, to the evaluating unit 23, ispreferably displayed on a monitor of an input and output unit 33, whichis connected with the evaluating unit 23 and which performs abidirectional data exchange. The input and output unit 33 also providescorrection options for at least one of the above-mentioned regulatingdevices in that it makes possible a manual input and/or the triggeringof at least one actuating command.

The evaluating unit 23 has a memory device 34, which is used, amongother things, for the storage of recorded image sequences, as well asfor the storage of data which are useful for logging and for thesimultaneous documentation of the quality of the printed products, aswell as for conducting statistical analyses of the printing process. Itis advantageous if the evaluating unit 23 can make the data which areevaluated and/or stored in it available to a company network by anappropriate connector 36.

For a comparison, which is performed by the evaluating unit 23, of data,which is correlated with an image actually recorded in the course of therunning production of the printing press, with data from a previouslygenerated image, the data from the previously recorded image can becorrelated with an image which is recorded in a pre-printing stage thatis arranged upstream of the printing press. A data processingarrangement of the pre-printing stage, which is not specificallyrepresented, is connected with the evaluating unit 23 and provides thedata of the previously generated image to the evaluating unit 23. Inthis way, the data of the previously generated image is generatedalternatively or in addition to the data which is correlated with animage recorded by the image sensor 22 and are made available to theevaluating unit 23. For comparison with data obtained in the runningproduction of the previously imprinted images, data from thepre-printing stage, and which is correlated with the printed image,constitute the better reference data for the control or regulation ofthe color register.

The device in accordance with the present invention allows a registerregulation and a color regulation on the basis of an analysis of thesame image recorded with the image sensor 22. The picture of the printedimage is evaluated with regard to different parameters which arerelevant to the printing process in a single evaluating unit 23, as wellas simultaneously undergoing an inspection of the printed image forjudging the quality of the printed matter.

In this case, a register measurement in the printed image is the basisfor the register regulation. After all of the colors which are requiredfor the printed image have been imprinted, the entire printed image isrecorded by the camera or image sensor 22, preferably at the outlet ofthe printing press. A dissection of the recorded printed image takesplace in the evaluating unit 23, preferably into the various colorcomponents CMYK which are customary in printing technology, as well asan analysis of suitable portions of the printed image and a relativeposition determination of a color component, with respect to a referencecolor component, by the use of correlation methods with a previouslyrecorded or obtained printed reference image.

The reference image is obtained, for example, either from thepre-printing stage, which has the advantage that the reference image isalready available in the individual color components, or a referenceimage, such as, for example, a printed sheet containing the printedimage and obtained from a proof of the printed image, is used for theevaluation. This reference image must still also be separated into thecolor components. This reference sheet is recorded after the printedimage has been manually adjusted once in such a way that all of theprinted printing colors are correctly positioned in relation to eachother and, in this way, a proper color register has been set. Thisprinted reference image, which is obtained in this way, can be storedfor later repeat orders. In case of a repeated order, this previouslyrecorded reference image can be accessed. By assessing the storedprinted reference image, it is also possible for the evaluating unit 23to set the color register automatically without manual interventionwhich, in case of a repeat order, leads to a further reduction in waste.

Characteristic and suitable portions of the printed reference image areselected, by the use of which, the position of the individual colorcomponents with respect to the reference color component, is determined.This is the so-called desired position for the subsequent registercomparison. This reference image, including the color components and thedesired position, is stored in the memory device 34, for example. Theselection of the suitable printed image portion can take place eithermanually by the operator or automatically by the evaluating unit 23,such as, for example, by pre-setting the desired position. Areas inwhich the printing ink to be measured dominates or appears exclusivelyare suitable printed image portions with regard to the registermeasurement.

Each printed image is recorded during the running printing process, orduring a continuous printing process, by use of the camera system, andis separated into the color components CMYK. Now, the position of theindividual color components within the previously selected suitableprinted image portions is determined. This takes place by a comparisonof the printed image with the color components from the printedreference image, such as, for example, by the use of a correlationmethod, and in particular by a cross-correlation method. It is possible,by use of the correlation method, to determine the position of the colorcomponents within approximately 1 pixel of the camera resolution. If astationary register offset is repeatedly determined for each printedsheet, a high degree of accuracy of the measured value is assured by thesuppression of stochastic scattering.

The determination of the position of the individual color componentstakes place, in the web running direction, in accordance with thelongitudinal register, and takes place, in the transverse direction inrespect to the web running direction, in accordance with the lateralregister. The position differences, which are obtained in this way, areconverted by the evaluating unit 23 into actuating commands and aretransmitted as correction signals to the adjusting system, such as, forexample, the drive mechanisms.

In the field of offset printing, special colors are not mixed with thestandard colors, typically the scale colors CMYK, but are printedseparately. Therefore, special colors are also separately measured.First, it is necessary to determine the areas in which special colorsare to be printed. Now, their own suitable areas are fixed for eachspecial color, in which areas the position of the color component isdetermined in the same way as was done for the scale colors CMYK, or thestandard colors. The further procedure for register regulation, inconnection with special colors, is identical to the previously describedprocedure for standard colors.

While a preferred embodiment of devices for controlling at least oneregister in a printing machine, in accordance with the presentinvention, have been set forth fully and completely hereinabove, it willbe apparent to one of skill in the art that various changes in, forexample, the specific type of substrate being printed, the structure ofthe delivery device, and the like could be made without departing fromthe true spirit and scope of the present invention which is accordinglyto be limited only by the appended claims.

1. A device for regulating at least one register in a printing presscomprising: at least first and second printing groups; at least oneforme cylinder, one transfer cylinder and one counter-pressure cylinderin each of said at least first and second printing groups, said at leastfirst and second printing groups being adapted to each print one colorof a multiple color printed image on an imprinting substrate beingprinted in multiple colors in said at least first and second printinggroups and travelling in a substrate direction of travel; an imagesensor, said image sensor being usable to record a picture of saidmultiple color printed image of an entire width of said imprintingsubstrate extending transversely to said substrate direction of travel;an evaluating unit, usable to receive said picture of said entire widthof said multiple color printed image recorded during a runningproduction of said printing press and to compare multiple parameters ofsaid picture with a previously recorded multiple color printed referencepicture, and to separate said picture of said multiple color printedimage and said reference picture each into separate color components andto perform a relative position determination of each of said separatecolor components of said picture of said printed image with respect toeach of said separate color components of said previously recordedmultiple color printed reference picture; a forme cylinder drivemechanism for each of said at least first and second printing groups andadapted to be controlled separately from a drive mechanism for saidcounter-pressure cylinder assigned to each said forme cylinder; anactuator for each said forme cylinder drive mechanism, said evaluationunit being adapted to generate a separate actuating command to each saidforme cylinder drive mechanism actuator to selectively regulate aregister of each respective one of said forme cylinders in response tosaid relative position determination of each of said color components ofsaid picture of said multiple color image with respect to each of saidcolor components of said previously recorded multiple color printedreference picture as provided by said image sensor; and a pre-printingstage located upstream, in said direction of travel of said substrate,said printing press, said previously recorded multiple color printedreference picture being formed in said pre-printing stage, saidreference picture having proper registration of said multiple colorimage.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein said evaluating unit performssaid relative position determination by a correlation method.
 3. Thedevice of claim 1 wherein said evaluating unit performs said relativeposition determination by a cross-correlation method.
 4. The device ofclaim 1 wherein said relative position determination is performedseveral times.
 5. The device of claim 1 wherein said register of eachsaid forme cylinder is one of a circumferential register, a lateralregister, and a diagonal shifting of each said forme cylinder withrespect to said transfer cylinder associated with said forme cylinder.6. The device of claim 1 wherein each said actuator regulates one of aphase position and an angular relation of its one of said at least firstand second forme cylinders.
 7. The device of claim 1 further including acompany network and a connection between said evaluating unit and saidcompany network.
 8. The device of claim 1 further including an input andoutput unit adapted to provide correction options for said actuatingcommand, said evaluating unit being in a bi-directional data exchangewith said input and output unit.
 9. The device of claim 8 furtherincluding a monitor in said input and output unit and adapted to displaysaid recorded image.
 10. The device of claim 1 further including amemory device in said evaluating unit and adapted to store sequences ofsaid recorded image.
 11. The device of claim 1 wherein said image sensoris located in an outlet of a last one of said at least first and secondprinting groups.
 12. The device of claim 1 further including a deliverydevice for said printing press and wherein said image sensor is locatedat said delivery device.
 13. The device of claim 1 wherein saidevaluating unit checks at least one of a shading change and aregistration maintenance during said running production of said printingpress.
 14. The device of claim 13 wherein said check is performed oneach printed copy in said printing press.
 15. The device of claim 1wherein said evaluating unit classifies checked printed copies intogroups of different quality.
 16. The device of claim 1 wherein saidevaluating unit is adapted to store data for use in determining qualityof printed products.
 17. The device of claim 1 further including anangle encoder installed on said at least one printing group and adaptedto synchronize a frequency of recording of said images with a transportspeed of said imprinting substrate.
 18. The device of claim 17 whereinsaid angle encoder is installed in said printing group having said imagesensor.
 19. The device of claim 17 wherein said angle encoder transmitsan output signal to said evaluating unit.
 20. The device of claim 1wherein said evaluating unit is adapted to change at least one registerin said printing press to obtain color registration accuracy.
 21. Thedevice of claim 1 wherein each said forme cylinder of each of said atleast first and second printing groups is controlled independently ofsaid forme cylinder of another of said at least first and secondprinting groups.
 22. The device of claim 21 wherein said evaluating unitis adapted to set one of mutual angular relation and phase relation ofeach said forme cylinder involved in printing said color image in saidimprinting substrate.
 23. The device of claim 1 wherein each said formecylinder drive mechanism is coaxial with a shaft of said forme cylinder.24. The device of claim 1 wherein said drive mechanism for each saidforme cylinder is rigidly connected with a shaft of each said formecylinder.
 25. The device of claim 1 wherein said counter-pressurecylinders in said at least first and second printing groups aremechanically connected.
 26. The device of claim 25 further wherein saidcounter-pressure cylinders in said at least first and second printinggroups have a common drive mechanism.
 27. The device of claim 25 furtherincluding a drive mechanism for said counter-pressure cylinders andbeing separate from a drive mechanism for said forme cylinders and saidtransfer cylinders of said at least first and second printing groups.28. The device of claim 1 further wherein each said forme cylinder drivemechanism drives said transfer cylinder associated with each formecylinder of said at least first and second printing groups.
 29. Thedevice of claim 1 wherein said evaluating unit evaluates suitableportions of a special color image different from standard colors of acolored image.
 30. The device of claim 1 wherein said evaluating unitstores said printed images in a memory device.
 31. The device of claim30 wherein said printed images are stored in said memory device at adesired position.
 32. A device for controlling register and colordensity in a printing press comprising: at least first and secondprinting groups each having at least one forme cylinder, one transfercylinder and one counter-pressure cylinder, said at least first andsecond printing groups imprinting a multiple color printed image on animprinting substrate being printed in said at least first and secondprinting groups and traveling in a substrate direction of travel duringa running production of said printing press; an image sensor, said imagesensor being usable to record a picture of said multiple color printedimage of an entire width of said imprinting substrate transverse to saidsubstrate direction of travel; an evaluating unit usable to receive saidpicture of said entire width of said multiple color printed imagerecorded during said running production of said printing press and tocompare multiple parameters of said picture with a previously generatedmultiple color printed picture and to separate each of said runningproduction multiple color printed picture and said previously generatedmultiple color printed reference picture into separate color components,said evaluating unit further performing a relative positionaldetermination of each of said color components of said runningproduction multiple color picture in relation to said color componentsof said previously generated multiple color printed reference picture;an ink supply to each of said at least first and second printing groups,each said ink supply having an ink supply drive mechanism; a registerregulatory drive mechanism for at least one of said at least first andsecond printing groups; and means in said evaluating unit for convertingdifferences detected by said relative positional determination of eachof said color components between said running production multiple colorprinted picture and said previously generated multiple color printedreference picture in one of a substrate transport direction and adirection transverse to said transport direction into actuating commandsfor each said ink supply drive mechanism for said at least first andsecond printing groups and for said register regulatory drive mechanismfor at least one of said at least first and second printing groups. 33.The device of claim 32 further including a forme cylinder drivemechanism for each of said at least first and second printing groups andadapted to be controlled separately from a drive mechanism for saidcounter-pressure cylinder assigned to each said forme cylinder.
 34. Thedevice of claim 32 further including a data network connected to saidevaluating unit, said drive mechanisms being correlated to said datanetwork.
 35. The device of claim 32 wherein said printing press appliesat least one printed image to said imprinting substrate.
 36. The deviceof claim 32 wherein said regulation takes place simultaneously with aninspection of said printed image.
 37. The device of claim 32 furtherincluding at least one of an imprinting substrate transport device andan imprinting substrate marking device and means in said evaluating unitfor issuing an actuating command to said at least one of said transportdevice and said marking device when said relative positionaldetermination exceeds a permissible tolerance limit.
 38. The device ofclaim 32 further including means changing said ink supply to at leastone of said at least first and second printing groups using saidevaluating unit in response to a shading change exceeding a permissibletolerance limit.
 39. The device of claim 32 further including apre-printing device located upstream, in a direction of travel of saidimprinting substrate, said previously generated multiple color printedpicture being received from said pre-printing device.